Challenges associated to the LCA of P-recovery from wastewater and sludges in the context of Phos4You project

BIOREFINE CLUSTER EUROPE

Sylvie Groslambert

European Sustainable Nutrient Initiative - ESNI 2020

Challenges associated to the LCA of P-recovery from wastewater and sludges

in the context of Phos4You project

26th _{November, 2020}

• P based fertilizers are essential for crop production

The P context in Europe – P dependance

Nesme, Thomas & Doré, Thierry & Leenhardt, Delphine & Pellerin, Sylvain. (2016). Agriculture et ressources naturelles : de quoi parlons-nous ?.

• Phosphate rock reserve <<<

• 1 operating mine in Finland

• > 90% of P rock is imported

EU = 2nd _{largest importer}

~5.5 million t P-rocks imported (EU-28 - 2017)

•  P-rock put on critical raw-material list of

the EU

https://phosphorusplatform.eu/scope-in-print/news/359-phosphate-rock-in-eu-critical-raw-materials-list

The P context in Europe – P losses

Kimo C. van Dijk, Jan Peter Lesschen, Oene Oenema, Phosphorus flows and balances of the European Union Member States, Science of The Total Environment, Volume 542, Part B, 2016, Pages 1078-1093

The Phos4You project - Demonstrators

• Different inlet material, different P recovery technologies, different outlet products

• Different scales and matury

• Quality assessment: coordinated by UGhent

The Phos4You project – The context of LCA: 2 extreme cases

• The impact (or not) of the P-recovery process on the WWTP is of importance.

• Case 1: no effect as sludge is ‘collected and treated’

• Pulse, Euphore

• Possible to evaluate the LCA related to P₂O₅ recovery with sludge considered as free

• Case 2: effects on the WWTP operation

• Struvia with bioacifidication

• Impact on sludge digestion, dewatering …

• Possible to evaluate the LCA of treating 1 m³ of wastewater, with and without the P-recovery

The Phos4You project – The context of LCA

• Comparison of P-products between each others is not relevant

• LCA is seen as an eco-design tool to improve each process

• Comparison with fossil P could be investigated after quality assessments

• BAU treatment of water/sludge (and disposal) + production of ("traditional") P fertilzer

The Phos4You project – LCA of EUPHORE process

• Characterization (CML-IA) results: 1 kg P₂O₅

-100. -80. -60. -40. -20. 0. 20. 40. 60. 80. 100.

Abiotic depletion Abiotic depletion (fossil fuels) Global warming (GWP100a) Ozone layer depletion (ODP) Photochemical oxidation Acidification Eutrophication %

Tr. sludge MgCl2 Tr. MgCl2 NaHCO3 (ads.) Tr. NaHCO3 Tr. P-ash Tr. filter dust Tr. Gas (NG) Electricity Heat (NG) Electricity - Drying Sand (AB) Tr. sand (AB) Heat recovery Total

-12.1 kg CO2 eq. -182 MJ

• Main categories:

Abiotic depletion Fossil fuels and Global warming potential

• Large benefits through

heat recovery (avoid burden)

The Phos4You project – LCA of STRUVIA process

• Data from pilot plant in

Tergnier (FR)

• Addition of co-substrate:

residue of sugar from

candied fruit or molasses production = waste ("free")

The Phos4You project – LCA of STRUVIA process

• Characterization (CML-IA) results: 1 kg P₂O₅

• Main categories:

Abiotic depletion Fossil fuels and Global warming potential

• Importance of flocculant,

P recovery from WWTP needs to be improved to be concurrential with P-rock

BUT

In a circular economy AND

in an "P independant Europe" perspective it is worth to work on it!

... and that is what we do in the Phos4You project